Level anticrossing effect on electron properties of coupled quantum wells under an in-plane magnetic field

Abstract

The influence of an in-plane magnetic field on the energy spectrum and zero-temperature equilibrium properties of tunnel-coupled double and triple quantum wells is studied. Both the appearance of the gap due to anticrossing of two energy branches and the peculiarities of the third-order crossing point (for symmetric triple quantum well case) are discussed. As results, magnetization of two-dimensional electrons in double and triple quantum wells is modified essentially if the Fermi level is localized near such peculiarities. Another effect under consideration is the interlevel charge redistribution between quantum wells and the transverse voltage induced by the in-plane magnetic field. Self-consistent numerical calculations for double and triple quantum wells, which take into account the modifications of energy spectra under gate voltage, are presented.